Pipe-wrench.



o. L. DUNHAM.

PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 191.3

l,072,320. Patented sept. 2, 1913.

i H J /5 f' wnNEssEs /6' INVENTOH ATTCHNEV 11N FEED STATFASUFATENT FFlCl..

CHARLES L. DUNHAIVI, OF SISTERSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA.

PIPE-WRENCH.

To all fio/1,0m` t may coa/cara Be it known that I, Cnam/ns L. Dommia, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sistersville, in the county ot' lyler and State of Test Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Wrenches, of which the following1 a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying` drawing.

rFhis invention :relates to pipe wrenches and more particularly to that type disclosed in Patents Number (556,154: and Number 818,877, granted August 14, 1900 and April 211. 19015 respectively.

Besides having the same objects in view as disclosed in the above entitled patents, the present invention aims to provide the lever or handle of the wrench with a novel pivot pin for holding a large link Section in engagement therewith, the construction of the pivot pin being such that considerable leverage and power can be obtained when operating` the wrench without subjecting the pivot pin to such stresses and strains that would tend to snap the saine or fracture the pivot end of the lever or handle.

My invention further aims to provide a `gripping link of a pipe wrench with a reversible gripping member that presents a sharp grippingedge for engaging a pipe or cylindrical structure upon which the wrench is used. The gripping member can be adjusted whereby four gripping edges can be `used before the member is discarded and in some instances all the links of the wrench of the above type can be provided with the members.

My invention further aims to accomplish the above results by a mechanical construction consisting of comparatively few parts that are easy to assemble, inexpensive to manufacture and highly etticient for the purposes for which they are intended.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed and refer ence will now be had to the drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the wrench, Fig. Q is a transverse sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the wrench.

Further describing` my invention in detail with reference Wto the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals denote corresponding parts throughout: 1 denotes a por- Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 1, 1913.

Patented Sept. 2, 11.913.

Serial No. 764,857.

tion of a handle or lever that has the outer end thereof provided with an irregularly shaped head 2, said head being substantially oval in elevation and I )rcscnting a curved binding surface o. The head is provided with a crescent-sliaped opening 11 and one of the walls of said opening provides a lug 5, while the opposite wall of said opening presents a shoulder 7.

The reference numeral 8 i'lenotcs an enlarged link section and i) and l0 intermediate link sections that are pivotally connected to the enlarged link section S by pins ll. The enlarged link section S has the inner end iheieol" bi'lfurcated, as at 12 to receive the head 2 ol tho handle or lever l, and the biilfurcated rnd of the enlarged link section S is provided with a transverse pivot pin 13. The pin in cross section is substan tially rectangular except for one edge thereof, which is rounded, as at 141 to conform to the curvature of lho wall of the opening 11. Vl attach :onsiderable importance to the shape of this pivot pin insoinueh that it is lirinly held by the enlarged link section S and when passing through the opening lit presents a llat surface 15 that can be eugaged hy the shoulder 7 of the head 2 and a llat surface lo against which the lugl 5 rides when the wrench is tightened upon a pipe.

livotally connected to the link section 10 by a pin I7 is a grasping-link or jaw 18 adapted to extend into the cnlargeifl link section S whereby it can he engaged by the binding surface l of the head 2. lo permit of this, the edge of the link or jaw 1S has three seats 1%), 2O and il that perniit ol cylindrical structures of various diameters being gripped by the wrench. As an in stance, the seals l) and 2() can ho used for caps and collars and the seat 21 lor a pipe that receives the caps and collars, it being understoi'al that. the pipe is held by a wrench or other device while the cap or collar is screwed upon the same by another wrench,

The intermediate link section f) is provided with a transverse substantially rectangular groove QQ and detachably mounted in said groove is a substantially rectangular gripping nn'anher Ql. '.lho sides of the meniber Q3 are in parallelism but the front and rear sides thereof are beveled in opi'losite di rections, whereby the member will have four gripping edges and by changing the position CIT Cil

of said member either of the edges can be used. When one edge is worn the member can be reversed and in this manner the longevity of said members is considerably increased.

To understand the operation of the wrench it `might be well to consider that the pivot lpin 13 held by the bifurcated end of the enlarged link section 8 is stationary. By shifting the lever or handle l the curvature of the wall G riding against the rounded edge 14 of the pivot pin shifts the lng 5 into engagement with the flat surface 1Gl of saidv pin, and the further movement of the handle or lever causes the lug v`to ride or, as it were, to roll upon the flat surface. l.Vhile this is accomplished the binding surface 3 of the head 2 is brought into engagement with the seat 19 and as the handle or lever is moved the grasping-link or jaw is shifted into engagement with the pipe upon which the wrench is placed, pressing the pipe aga-inst the intermediate links whereby the gripping member 23 will bite into the surface of the pipe. As the handle or lever is further shifted there is further riding or rolling action of the lug upon the ilat surface 16 of the pivot pin and it is this action that tightens the link sections of the wrench, prevents the wrench from slipping and permits of considerable leverage being obtained without any danger of breaking the pivot pin. The very shape of the pin is such that stresses and strains upon the saine are distributed throughout the pin and the bifurcated end of the enlarged link section 8.

rlhe shoulder 7 of the head 2 holds the handle or lever in an operable position relatively to the link section 8, whereby the grasping link'or jaw can be easily placed in position to be engaged by the head of the handle or lever. In some instances, the shoulder 7 engages the pivot pin and cooperates with Vthe lug 5 in holding the head 2 in engagement with the graspingdink or jaw 18, and it is the peculiar shape of the opening i and the crc-ss sectional area of the pivot pin that permits'of a positive action when gripping a pipel and insures' a greater degree of safety and a minimum degree of wear upon the working parts of the wrench.

@ne embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, but it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is Y l. lin a pipe Wrench, a handle or lever having a head provided with a substantially crescent-shaped opening, link sections, and a pivot pin carried by one of said sections and extending through said opening, saidV pivot pin being substantially rectangular and presenting a flat gripping surface adapted to beengaged by one of the walls of said opening. Y

2. ln a pipe wrench, a handle having a head provided with a substantially crescent- Vs-l'iap'ed opening, and a .rectangular pivot pin extending through said opening and engaged by some ofthe walls of said opening and adapted to connect link sections to said handle.

ln a pipe wrench,a handle, links, a pivot pin carried by one of said links and extending through an end of said handle, said pin being substantially rectangular in cross section, and a lug carried by said handle and adapted toride upon one of the surfaces of said pivot pin. 4i. ln a pipe wrench, a handle having a head provided' with a crescentsshaped open' ing, a lug forming one of the walls of said openino, a shoulder presented 'by another wall of said opening, pivoted link sections,

and a pivot pin carried by one of said' sec- Y tions and extending through the opening of said head, said pivot pin being substantially rectangular in cross section and presenting flat gripping surfaces adapted to be engaged by said shoulder and said lug.

5. In a pipe wrench, a handle having a head provided with a crescent-shaped opening having walls presenting a lug and a shoulder, pivoted link sections, one of said tions and presenting seats adapted to be engaged by the headv of said handle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature inthe presence of two witnesses CHARLES L. DUNHAM.

Vitnesses:

W. R. REIT@ Wn. GODDARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for l'five cents each, by addressing .the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

